Scattered Shots: Finding a unique pet
by Jessica Klein 
Mar 26th 2009 at 9:00PM
Scattered Shots is your weekly guide to improving your Hunter skills, brought to you by Jessica "Lassirra" Klein of The Hunter's Mark, covering a variety of Huntery topics. Today, we'll be browsing the bestiary of Azeroth, Outland and Northrend to identify some of the most unique pets to be found in the wilds ready for taming.
As a Hunter, your pet is an extension of yourself and a means of expression your (or your character's, for you RPers out there) personality, so finding the perfect pet can often be difficult. Today, I'd like to take a look at some of the more unique pets available in the game to help you pick out the perfect companion to set you apart from the crowd.
Ferocity
Because cats are arguably the most popular family of ferocity pets in the game, we'll start with them. All cats come with three abilities in addition to the standard Growl ability shared by all pets: Claw, Rake and Prowl. There are a number of unique cat skins available to help set your chosen feline apart.
If you prefer the look of a sleek lion, Araga, a level 35 rare found only in the Alterac Mountains is an excellent choice. She's the only cat in the game sporting this particular skin, so if you favor the sandy coloring sans mane, she's the cat you want. If you're looking for that coloring but with a more manly countenance, The Rake, a level 10 rare in Mulgore is a great alternative. If you're unable to find The Rake, there are three other mobs found in The Barrens that share the same skin: the Savannah Highmane, the Savannah Prowler and the Savannah Patriarch.
You like the mane, but not the color? Don't worry, there are other options available! Humar the Pridelord, a level 23 rare found in The Barrens and Pitch, a level 76 found in Sholazar Basin boast the same manly mane as The Rake, but with a much darker charcoal coloring. Not digging the black, either? Try Echeyakee, a level 16 quest spawn from The Barrens or Sian-Rotam, a level 60 quest spawn from Winterspring. Both feature a light white and gray coloring that's sure to set them apart.
If none of those special cats strike your fancy, you may be interested in the sleek while lines of the Frostsaber Huntress or her Cubs found in Winterspring. Or perhaps you favor spots? Shango and the Dreadsabers of Sholazar Basin may be more to your taste with their bright orange coloring and high-contrast black spots. If you're still not sold, perhaps the decidedly feral-looking Cursed Offspring of Har'koa found in Zul'Drak are right for you with their beautiful blue coats, white spots and glowing red eyes. Or perhaps you're looking for something a bit more... otherworldly? The Ghost Saber that haunts the far reaches of Darkshore might be just what you're looking for.
Next, let's take a look at another popular choice: raptors, for those of you who prefer a more Jurassic approach. Raptors come with two other abilities besides Growl: Claw and Savage Rend. There are only a handful of truly unique raptors available in the game, but hopefully one will strike your fancy.
For lower levels, the Mottled Scytheclaw of the Wetlands or the Young Jungle Stalker of Stranglethorn Vale, both sharing a bright green skin with orange accents and gleaming black talons, are available. Alternatively, Goreclaw the Ravenous in Dustwallow Marsh sports a dark brown skin with beautiful blue markings which you may find more appealing. If you're having trouble locating Goreclaw, you may wish to pursue the Venomhide Ravasaurs of Un'Goro Crater instead as they share the same skin.
Looking for something a bit more intimidating? There are two other unique species of raptors to be found, both of which boast a bolder silhouette of spikes. The Daggermaw Lashtails found in the Blade's Edge Mountains of Outland sport a bright orange coloring while the Drakuru Raptors found in Zul'Drak have something to offer fans of the coolor colors of the spectrum with their bright blue and purple coloring.
Tenacity
For our tanking needs, we'll start with a bit more traditional approach: boars. Boars come with two abilities in addition to the standard Growl: Bite and Gore. There are a handful of unique boar skins available in the game and I'm fairly certain these little piggies don't want to stay home!
Three of the most unique boar skins in the game feature prominent armor plating along the spine and sides of these beasts, giving them an appropriately tank-like appearance and providing you with your choice of color scheme. The first, Rotting Agam'ar, a level 26 elite found in Razorfen Kraul, features black fur and silver armor with bright blue accents. Next, Raging Agam'ar, a level 25 elite found in Razorfen Kraul, sports a light gray coat with brown armor and red accents. The last of our armored porcine friends is Agam'ar, a level 24-25 elite also found in Razorfen Kraul. Agam'ar has a brown coat and silver armor with black accents, a skin that is shared with Snorts, a level 79 mob found in The Storm Peaks of Northrend which can only be tamed by Hunters fighting on behalf of the Horde.
If boars aren't to your liking and you're looking for something truly unique, you may wish to consider taming a Warp Stalker. These pets were extremely popular following the release of the first expansion as they were a new and interesting species of pet, but Warp Stalkers have since all but disappeared from the Hunter landscape. Aside from the standard Growl ability, Warp Stalkers are able to utilize two other abilities, one of which is truly unique: Bite and Warp. While the majority of Warp Stalkers are white with purple stripes, you may be interested in the Warp Chaser, a level 67-68 mob found in Netherstorm that features an odd green coloring.
Cunning
Of course, we can't forget the Jacks of All Trades, can we? One of the most popular Cunning pets currently in use is a species of creature introduced to us in the first expansion, and the entire family is nothing if not unique! Love 'em or hate 'em, ravagers are here to stay and if you're looking for one that's particularly special then I've got a few recommendations for you.
Ravagers come with two abilities in addition to Growl: Bite and Ravage. There are many color variations available throughout Outland to suit your taste, so let's take a look at some of the offerings. If green is what you're after, the Quillfang Ravagers and Quillfang Skitterers of Hellfire Peninsula may be just the ticket. If you're looking for something a bit more bold, the bright oranges of the Razorfang Hatchlings and Razorfang Ravagers in Hellfire Peninsula or the Rip-Blade Ravagers of the Blade's Edge Mountains could be just what the pet trainer ordered.
For the arachnid fans out there, there are several interesting spiders available throughout Azeroth, Outland and Northrend to choose from. Spiders come with two additional abilities: Bite and Web. Zarakh, a level 19 spider found on Bloodmyst Isle, is decidedly intimidating with his spiked legs and black and red body. The Carrion Fleshstrippers of Icecrown feature spiked, light brown bodies with bits of web dripping from their many legs. If you're looking for an arachnid with a bit more visual bite, so to speak, you may be interested in the Dread Creepers found within the halls of Naxxramas with their bright purple coloring.
Exotic
Always a fan of saving the best for last, I've deliberately avoided discussing exotic pets until now. Exotic pets are precisely that: exotic! And because only a special few Hunters choose to spec 51-deep in Beast Mastery to be able to tame these beautiful creatures, any exotic pet you choose is sure to be special. There are, of course, some very special exotic pets that every Hunter should be aware of!
Loque'nahak the Spirit Beast is one of the most coveted pets currently available in the game, sought after for both his beauty and rarity. Like other cats, Loque'nahak comes with Claw and Prowl, but this unique feline has an added ability in his arsenal that only Spirit Beasts know: Spirit Strike. Loque'nahak is a rare, level 76 elite found only in Sholazar Basin and he's currently the only Spirit Beast to be found in the game. In patch 3.1, it's said that a second animal will be joining the ranks of the Spirit Beasts: Gondria, a level 77 rare elite found in Zul'Drak.
Wonderful and unique pets of all types can be found all over Azeroth, Outland and Northrend to suit your tastes and we could easily spend days pouring over the vast bestiary open to us. Which rare pets are your favorites?
Let Scattered Shots help fill your every Hunter need with columns on everything from handling Your Pet to setting traps to speccing your Hunter for WotLK and choosing which Wrath reputation to grind. Also, don't miss our Hunter Wrath information roundup or BRK'S Wrath commentary and pet videos!Filed under: Hunter, Leveling, Guides, RP, NPCs, (Hunter) Scattered Shots
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Arivia Mar 26th 2009 9:08PM
It's all about the dragonhawks. So pretty - and unusual even in the red and yellow.
Molly Mar 26th 2009 11:08PM
My Belf hunter's first pet was a blue moth from Bloodmyst Isle. I ran her all the way there just so she could have a shimmering companion :)
Fargostar5000 Mar 26th 2009 9:22PM
Hmm... I honestly don't know how choosing any type of cat will set your apart from the crowd :P, but you should choose what you like. Personally the first pet that I ever really liked was my Ornery Tallstrider, I got way back leveling in the barrens. It reminded me of a prehistoric killer bird (though later on I called it my Battle-Turkey!) and seemed a good horde pet. I'm just glad that pets were normalized so we can see some more variety in terms of pets people actually use!
Mitawa Mar 27th 2009 1:29PM
You had yourself a Diatryma. ;)
http://www.newarkcampus.org/professional/osu/faculty/jstjohn/Cool%20Fossils/Diatryma.htm
^^
Fargostar5000 Mar 28th 2009 11:59AM
Thats exactly the bird that I was thinking about, just couldn't place the name at the moment, thanks! And I call myself a natural history buff...:)
Jeff Mar 26th 2009 9:25PM
"If you're looking for an arachnid with a bit more visual bite, so to speak, you may be interested in the Dread Creepers found within the halls of Naxxramas with their bright purple coloring."
If I'm not mistaken, those are untameable?
stephe Mar 26th 2009 9:34PM
The Dread Creeper is technically tameable, however you have to be level 81 in order to tame one.
Ametrine Mar 27th 2009 2:59AM
Too bad the Icetip Crawlers in Storm Peaks are untamable - they share the same skin, and are 78.
qwaucker Mar 26th 2009 9:26PM
I think you REALLY skimped on describing some exotics. That was what I wanted to read. Did you get bored? Just don't know any information? What happened?
Otherwise, thanks.
Everdawn Mar 26th 2009 9:36PM
Just some Hunter pet notes to add...
King Bangalash is still one of my favorites. Tamable 43 white tiger in STV.
Some of the Ravagers, I don't remember which right now, some randomly change color on every resawn - purple, orange, green, the veritible cornucopia of Ravager skins.
And quite a li'l badge for a low-level Horde to slip down to Bloodmyst? Azuremyst? Island to tame one of the low-level ones as well.
Everdawn Mar 26th 2009 9:46PM
resawn?
Sheesh.
"respawn"
l2spellcheck
AyaJulia Mar 27th 2009 12:43AM
I think it's hilarious that people voted your correction post down to oblivion, thinking you were some prick grammar whore instead of realizing the name on both posts were the same. XD
...that's all. :x Nothing of any worth to add.
Drole Mar 27th 2009 12:47AM
Rip-Blade Ravagers change colors on summon. (Near Toshley Station)
And the Ravenous (?) Worgs from Storm Peaks (in the cave with the worms) change from grey to white on each summon.
Monkeyfoo Mar 27th 2009 9:12AM
The color changing ravagers you are thinking of are outside of Toshley Station in Blade's Edge Mountains. Its that gnome base thats on the upper terrain level around Death's Door I believe.
Anyways.. if you go north west just a matter of a hundred yards or so.. and or less,.. there is tons of ravagers to choose. Good thing now in the WoTLK, if you are say lvl 75 or 80, it will tame to lvl 70/75 respectively.... or only 5 levels less than yours.
Pretty freaking sweet. As for that IMBA rare cool spirit beast in the basin in Northrend.... he is on my list, as well as 1000 other hunters.
Tirrimas Mar 27th 2009 9:16AM
The Drakuru Raptor (not to be confused with the Gundrak Raptors) also changes color on respawn - it alternates between a purple with glowing blue belly and a cool charcoal gray.
There's a bug where the Drakuru Troll rider can respawn on the back of your pet once it's tamed. To cure that, dismiss and recall the pet after taming.
Fargostar5000 Mar 26th 2009 9:37PM
Also another intresting thing that I noticed in-game, was that the rare or quest spawned pets, such as Echeyakee and Humar, tend to be much more commonly used by hunters than a basic tan lion. Which begs the question: Does anyone belive that this tarnishes the "rare" or unique quality of these pets?
spo Mar 26th 2009 10:19PM
If I want to be a bit different with a hunter I don't go after the commonly used rares or spawns (unless I really want them) but try to get hold of something that's a bit out of the ordinary for my race and level, eg. my troll's first pet was a white bear, my draenei's first was an orange tiger.
It's not a big deal, and it's not going to look out of the ordinary by the time you're in your 30s, but it's kind of nice to feel you've put in the effort.
Or if you really want to stand out, get a hyena. In one and a half years playing I think I've only seen maybe three toons (other than mine) with one of them.
Balius Mar 26th 2009 10:35PM
Rare doesn't always mean rarespawn. At level twelve, I ran my huntery orc butt all the way to Darkshore and tamed a black cat with white stripes, which was the same as all the other cats in that area.
I got comments on my pet all the time from other players, as if it were something hard to find, when it was actually just something that doesn't exist in the usual Horde haunts and that nobody bothered taming much.
Drahliana Mar 29th 2009 11:29AM
The "unique" pets quite quickly become ununique because every Hunter and her cousin start camping them. On the other hand the pets I've gotten the most stares from were the white Cloud Serpent from the Thousand Needles which I held onto for quite a long time. and more recently I went and retamed a Winterspring Frostsaber with a pure white coat. It's not a unique pet, but it draws attention because hardly anyone bothers to tame it. Just the way that things work out.
Balius Mar 26th 2009 9:40PM
People complaining about the lack of information, you should probably just swing by Petopia. It's got pictures of all the skins, classified by pet family and pet type, what mobs have that particular skin, and even links to specific areas where you can find them.
WoWInsider is not a database, but other sites exist that are. Use them if what you're after is an incredibly detailed look at one particular aspect of the game.